Quick Question: How might we…?
Quick Question
Here is today's quick question for you...How might we…?
Ask it when you're...
Challenging the status quo - when an approach is deeply embedded (perhaps you’ll hear ‘we’ve always done it like that’), it can be helpful to gently provoke your team to consider new ways of thinking
Brainstorming new ideas - if you’re in idea-generation mode and want to encourage your team to break their traditional brainstorming patterns
Facing a fixed mindset - when colleagues refuse to consider alternate views, preferring to hold firm on their existing perspective.
Listen for...
Creating a sense of possibility within your team can be difficult with the pressure to deliver quickly. Resistance may show up in several different ways.
Try to listen for:
Negative language, e.g. ‘It won't work’ or ‘We’ve tried that before’
Tangential responses, e.g. ‘But we should be focusing on…’
The sound of silence - refusal or inability to participate in the discussion.
If you hear any of these, asking, 'How might we?' can reduce the pressure and create a willingness to play with hypothetical ideas.
Follow up with...
Sometimes, the greatest value comes from the one extra question you take the time to ask.
In this situation, you could try…
What would be your ideal outcome?
Who would be most surprised if we did that?
Who would be most excited if we achieved that?
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